Commonwealth Games 2014: England lead the way as curtain comes down on nations' party

Unfortunately all great parties have to come to an end. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have been fantastic, but they are over. The baton has now been passed on to Gold Coast in Australia. The standard has been set, this is going to take some beating.

With the curtain drawn on the 20th edition of the Commonwealth Games, Team England’s chef de mission was able to reflect on a job well done. Not only had they had ended Australia’s 28-year stint at the top of the medal table, they had also set a new record in the process: 174 medals – consisting of 58 golds, 59 silvers and 57 bronzes – meant Glasgow was officially England’s best Commonwealth Games in history.  Both England and Scotland won more gold medals and more medals overall than they had done at any previous Games.

That the landmark had already been achieved with a day to spare was simply salt in Australia’s wounds. Gold medals on the final afternoon for Lizzie Armitstead in the road race and husband-and-wife badminton mixed doubles pair Chris and Gabby Adcock were nothing more than a bonus.

From the high of 53 gold medals in Manchester 12 years ago to the lows of 36 and 37 in Melbourne and Delhi respectively, the slump was definitively over.

By Adriana Rueda

Source: The Telegraph; BBC Sport Commonwealth Games

Image: BBC Sport Commonwealth Games